Set up my current Office for Mac apps with Office 365 for business

Your organization recently got Office 365 and you have a Mac computer or iPad. No problem. Office 365 is compatible with the Mac and a variety of devices, including iPad and iPhone. You can use all the features and services in Office 365, including Outlook Web App and Lync for online meetings.

This article helps you set up your Mac computer or iPad to work with Office 365. After a few updates, you’ll be able to communicate and collaborate with your colleagues. And because Office is cross-platform–compatible, it doesn’t matter if your colleagues have PC or Mac computers.

Update my current Office for Mac apps to work with Office 365

After you’ve signed in to Office 365 with your work or school account for the first time, you’ll want to make sure your current Office desktop applications work with Office 365. If you’re currently using Office for Mac Home and Business 2011, you can update it to work with Office 365.

If your organization isn’t using Lync for Mac 2011, you can still participate in online meetings by using Lync Web App.

Lync Web App provides many features found in Lync for Mac 2011, including meeting-wide instant messaging (IM), phone-based audio, sending files to other participants, and viewing the screen that is being shared by the presenter.

Note Before you can participate in an online meeting, you must receive an email invitation from someone who is using the Lync client on a Mac or a PC.

Using Lync Web App to prepare for your first online meeting

Before you use Lync Web App for the first time, you need to install Silverlight on your Mac. To install Silverlight, go to the Get Microsoft Silverlight page and follow the instructions.

After Silverlight is installed on your Mac, it’s a good idea to check your online meeting readiness. Open your online meeting email invitation.

Click First online meeting? at the bottom of the invitation.

On the First online meeting? page, click Meeting readiness, and then follow the instructions.

If you are prompted to download the Lync Web App add-in, follow the instructions.

Joining an online meeting

When it’s time for the meeting, open your online meeting email invitation, and then click Join online meeting in the invitation.